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NANOBIOMATERIALS

From synthetic chemistry to fundamental physical properties of materials to interactions with biological entities to physiology of whole organisms

July 30th – August 3rd, 2018

 

Concordia University is pleased to announce an International Graduate Summer School on Nanobiomaterials.

 

Summer School Design

The school aims to bring scientists from varied fields together and introduce them to the interdisciplinary and collaborative elements that will challenge students to be effective across traditional boundaries. The Nanobiomaterials field is expansive and cannot be covered effectively in a single summer school. For this first installment, we will focus on the biomedical applications of luminescent, inorganic nanoparticles only.

Please note that, where permitted by your own university, this course counts as 3 credits towards degree completion at your parent institution.

Nanomaterials

In the past decade the biomedical applications of nanomaterials has transitioned from an interesting research topic and niche market to an important contributor to public health and thriving $270 billion global market that is 1/5th the size of the entire pharmaceutical market.

The nanobiomaterials market is poised for short term growth on the strength of a full pipeline of ~150 products currently in clinical trials set to join ~100 products already on the market, and long term growth based on increasing numbers of recent research papers and patents which detail the next generation of advances. Novel capabilities coupled with a shifting pharmaceutical industry ensure that nanobiomaterials will become increasingly important to modern medicine.

This field exists at the interface between natural sciences and health sciences, with basic and applied research in the former enabling advancements in the latter. The training program of this Summer School is firmly rooted in the natural sciences, with a focus on the fundamental principles and practice of nanoparticle design, synthesis, characterization and behaviour.

Nanoparticle evaluations with an eye towards their end-use in therapy and disease imaging is a component of the program however the school will emphasize that the full potential of nanobiomaterials will not be realized without the research conducted in natural sciences laboratories by specially-trained scientists.

The expertise required for the design, production and evaluation of nanomedicines occurs at the complicated intersection of chemistry, biology, pharmacology, physics, surface science, materials science and, of course, nanoscience. As such, nanobiomaterials is truly interdisciplinary and a conventional program in any one or two of the aforementioned disciplines will not yield HQP with the unique set of knowledge and skills required to manage and advance the field.
  

Participant Benefits

The students will benefit from training and experiential learning in a variety of forums. Mornings will comprise a scientific lecture on a given theme given by an internationally recognized expert in the field followed by a tutorial session, The lecture will highlighting the current state-of-the-art with the tutorial session (led by the expert) covering the fundamental principles. Afternoons will focus on technical aspects of the topic, addressing best practices, current potential and limitations of methodologies and “how-to” break-out sessions in which students can pose questions related to their own research. Where possible, these will be led by industry-partners.

Proposed daily themes include: nanomaterial synthesis, characterization methods, surface functionalization strategies, biomedical applications and knowledge translation to industry (taking ideas from the lab to animal models to clinical trials). Evenings provide an informal opportunity for participants to discuss and review as well as socialize, providing the foundation of a lasting network.

Participants and experts will be drawn from diverse scientific disciplines and industries from synthetic chemists to physical spectroscopists to biologists. By the end of the week, participants will:

  1. have gained exposure to the wide spectrum of fields that encompasses nanomedicine: material synthesis, material characterization, functionality, applications including biomedical imaging and therapeutic delivery and commercialization;
  2. received technical training in the most current scientific techniques and instrumentation for nanoscale materials and their use in biomedical applications, including both the future potential and the current limitations;
  3. have established important academic, industrial and peer network of contacts for future collaborations.

     

Participants will be housed in residences on campus and their lunches will also be provided, along with two daily coffee breaks. Do let us know of any food allergies you may have when applying.

 

How to apply

Applicants are required to submit a CV, an unofficial transcript, and a short statement of purpose (no more than 1 page). A limited number of fellowships, covering all tuition and fees associated with attending the Summer School, will also be awarded to international PhD applicants for whom the tuition remission will facilitate enrollment.

 

To apply, please send your completed applications to both:

 

The working language of the Summer School will be English.

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